Sony’s Open SmartWatch project lets devs tinker with its firmware

Starting today, advanced developers can fiddle with Sony’s SmartWatch with more freedom than ever before. With the Open SmartWatch project, the company is now allowing devs to create and flash their own firmware to the device, paving the way for greater exploration of its potential. Previously, third-party innovation was limited to the official Add-on SDK, but with a slew of resources posted on the project’s website, Sony is looking to lure devs to its platform — and potentially find inspiration for its own end user experience. To get the party started, Sony and Arduino are teaming up to host a hackathon in Malmö, Sweden on June 15th with the hopes of bringing firmware alternatives to the table. Of course, flashing the firmware will void the product’s warranty, but for the developer with an eye on wearable tech, it might be a price well worth paying.